Heron Kisses the Rose
by Ninja
Summary: A tale of adventure in the time before the Dragon Reborn.


Disclaimer: I do not own theWheel of Time nor its characters, I am simply venting these various ideas on an unsuspecting audience, nice people that they are :)

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Heron Kisses the Rose

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Lienda Narwen Aes Sedai of the White Ajah, a woman of cold Logic, born in the Borderlands of Arafel. Her home now long swallowed by the advancing hordes of Trollocs from the blight not more than fifteen years ago, joined the white tower after learning she had the spark within her, the ability to channel Saidar the Female half of the True Source. Being of the White as her chosen Ajah, her passions were always to play second hand to her logic. Unlike many of the Whites, she did not busy herself in numbers, and more sterile forms of research. Her dogma was that of investigation, and problem solving. Be they simple theft, or embezzlement, to such straights as Murder, She would ply her logical mind to the mystery. 

Her personal mission was more centric to the hunting of Dark friends. Born the in Borderlands, a child would learn the horrors of the Dark One, of his mindless hoards, and his terrible beasts he can command. However, nothing would prove itself as horrific as human betrayal. Men and women who would turn from the light and betray their own kind to the Shadow. She had been an Aes Sedai for twenty-five years, it had been only ten years since the Aiel wars, and her Investigations had been disrupted with the call for all Sisters to return to Tar Valon to aid its defence. But that time had passed, and she was once again back on the road, travelling to find suitable mysteries to ply her trade to.

Lienda Sedai was not alone in her Journeys, her faithful warder, Makir Sovran, was always at her side. Lienda Sedai trusted few people, not even the contacts she made, nor many of the other sisters within the White tower, but Makir she trusted with her life. Makir made the Journey with her to the White tower. He was five years her junior, claiming he would become a Blademaster and her warder. Many thought it an admirable goal, and at best he would return home a warrior to fight against the blight, but to her pleasant surprise, Makir succeeded in his goal. On his twenty-seventh naming day proclaimed a blademaster by three Senior Blademasters, and gifted with a Heron-Marked blade by the White Tower. She had only been a full Aes Sedai for Seven years at the time and truth be told she had completely forgotten Makir. She remembered fondly what happened that day when she went to congratulate him.

_"I am impressed Makir. It would seem you have accomplished your goal. Congratulations." She said wearing only a slight smile, her tone effortless and cool.  
Makir bowed as appropriate for a warder to Aes Sedai, "Thank you for your Praise Lienda Sedai. I have trained hard for this, and you honour me too much."  
"Nonsense." Lienda chided, her voice still cool, "You have done well to deserve it. Your Aes Sedai must be very proud of you."  
Makir smiled a little at this, "I am afraid you are mistaken Lienda Sedai, I am Gaidin to no Sister as of yet."  
Lienda was surprised, she did not betray such an emotion outwardly of course, she was above that.  
"No sister has asked you to become her Warder Makir? I find that difficult to believe."  
He laughed, "Many have asked Lienda Sedai, but I have refused. More some than others. I apparently have frustrated a number of the Green sisters."  
This only raised more questions in her mind, which she voiced, "And why have you not accepted?"  
With this Makirs' expression changed somewhat, he appeared, resigned, conflicted... hurt?  
He looked into her eyes and spoke, "Because I promised to be your Warder, Lienda."  
His tone lacked the normal resect a Warder would display any sister, but it held something more meaningful, it held the warmth familiarity. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken her name so, and she fought down the blush that was for some reason trying to rise in her cheeks, and she had to fight hard.  
Outwardly she was calm, her mind however was racing. She of course made the logical choice.  
She smiled slightly and nodded, "Makir Sovran Gaidin, will you accept being my warder?"_

The memory was one of the few fond ones she allowed herself to smile at. Her world was one of logic, and emotions would only cloud her judgement, but Makir was her closest friend. Only three years since she bonded him and they had begun their travels, did they receive word that their home was ravaged by the Trolloc hordes from the blight? They returned to the icy north of Arafel to where their small village once laid, and saw only desecration. It was then, she allowed herself to cry for the first time in eighteen years and it was Makirs' shoulder she cried on.  
Since that day Makir became grimmer, he would defend he with the utmost ferocity, and watch her with keen awareness. In her mind, it was the loss of his home, and that she was his only link left to that past which he held onto so tightly. She was grateful to him for that.

Lienda looked over Makir thoughtfully; he was dressed in simple, weather worn clothing, his shifting Warders cloak swapped for a far more usual deep green cape, which he wore when entering cities who were watched by Children of the Light, or the smaller towns that were wary of Aes Sedai Presence. He was a taller than average man with dark brown hair, cut short at his neck, he opted to avoid such fashions as found in Arafel these days, and moved for simplicity. His deep blue eyes shifting constantly, watching for any sign of danger in all directions as he sat upon his Dark grey warhorse.

She herself sat astride a rather placid but reliable brown gelding named Lilly, She herself wore a white dress of finely spun wool, and a white riding cloak, her long chestnut hair tied back simply into a single ponytail. Her light green eyes looking at the walled town ahead. Her investigations had led to a man who sought to escape the justice ahead of him; they were tracking him, his trail lead to a place in the west of Andor, the small town of Baelron. They were only a small distance behind him, of that they were certain finding his dead horse only two days earlier and they were slowly closing the gap. She waited patiently as Makir spoke with the guards, asking after the man with the description they had. Makir returned in short order and Stopped to confer with her.

"The guards claim that he was headed south three days, towards the area known as the Two Rivers Lienda." Makir informed.  
"Then let us continue south Makir." She responded placidly.  
Makir brought his horse around and set an even pace, the day was still young, and they had far to go yet.

"Would he believe himself to be followed?" Lienda asked softly as they rode on.  
"Possibly." Makir said simply, "But, he could fear retribution for being discovered."  
"Do you truly believe that he is a Dark friend Makir?" She asked, in the same monotone voice.  
"You seldom find few who are not, Lienda Sedai." Makir responded, wearing a sly grin.  
Lienda shrugged off her irritation. Bond or no bond, she rarely bothered to make head or tails of his thoughts, they were irrational, and often distracting, but if she payed enough attention he may have noticed that behind that wall of readiness was his amusement at the situation, and likely he had been waiting to use that small joke for some time. Truly he was the same boy of eleven summers who travelled with her to the White tower.  
"Hardly a Source of amusement Makir." She said coolly.  
"Of course not Lienda Sedai." he said much too dryly.  
With the withering comment aside, they rode on silently southwards.

To be continued...

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Authours Notes:  
To be blatently honest I have no real idea where I was going when I had this idea, but you know what, I felt that the wheel of time fic readers needed more love. I'll bet most of you came to this site to either write or read a fic based on somthing you saw on TV, and came to see Wheel of time as an after thought. I know I did. So here it is, and original Drama set in the Wheel of Time world for you to enjoy.  
Thanks for reading, and if you have time, please, do review. I'll apreciate it if you do. Really, I mean it... please? dont make me use the puppy eyes!  
-Ninja 


End file.
